Wärtsilä to tech-furnish Viking Line's newbuild

December 04, 2017

The Finnish company will supply the LNG-run cruise ferry with engines, the navigation system, and a number of other products and solutions.

The contract covers six 31DF dual-fuel engines, the LNGPac fuel storage and supply system, a compact silencer, bow thrusters, a ballast water management system, as well as the company's Nacos Platinum navigation system, which integrates various functions into a single system, allowing the vessel to be navigated, controlled, and monitored from several on-board positions.

In addition, Viking Line's newbuild will feature Wärtsilä's SmartPredict system, which has been designed to provide ships with greater safety and more efficient operations by displaying the vessel's predicted future position and heading. In essence, SmartPredict evaluates the wind and sea forces affecting the vessel to provide an advanced motion prediction. The system also has a configurable prediction time display.

The new ferry, to be constructed by the Chinese Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry, is scheduled to enter traffic in 2021 between the ports of Stockholm and Turku via the Åland Islands.

"A new era in ferry operations was established in 2013 when Viking Line's Viking Grace with Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines became the world's largest ro-pax ferry to operate on LNG fuel. This latest Viking project represents another milestone as it will be the first vessel fitted with the highly efficient Wärtsilä 31DF engines," Roger Holm, President, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions, said.

Jan Hanses, President and CEO, Viking Line, added, "The value of operating with Wärtsilä engines fuelled by LNG has been well established through our experience with the Viking Grace. Furthermore, the LNGPac fuel system provides the necessary safety and non-stop operation required, so we had no hesitation in once again specifying Wärtsilä for this project."